Police in Nakhon Ratchasima have ordered an internal probe against an officer accused of taking bribes from a karaoke bar in Pra Thong Kham district.
Pol Maj Gen Watcharin Boonkong, head of the provincial police bureau, said a panel has been set up to look into allegations levelled at a policeman attached to Pra Thong Kham station.
The allegation surfaced during a raid by local administrative officials on a karaoke bar in the district on Thursday night following a complaint the venue was a front for underage prostitution.
Around 12 girls aged between 15-17 were found on the premises. Seized during the raid was a ledger in which a policeman, identified only by a nickname, appeared to have received a monthly kickback payment of 1,000 baht since December 2017.
Pol Maj Gen Watcharin said strict action will be taken against the policeman if the claims have grounds. He said people involved in the trade have exploited increased police efforts to crack down on trafficking.
Meanwhile, Pattaya's mayor has launched a probe into extortion allegations against a group of city inspectors who allegedly demanded that traditional masseurs operating along the beaches sponsor a New Year's party. Deputy mayor, Ronnakit Ekasing, said the city inspectors implicated in the alleged extortion attempt have been transferred to work at Pattaya City Hall while the investigation takes place.
The masseurs say the inspectors demanded they split themselves into three zones and pay a total of 60,000 baht -- 20,000 baht per -- zone to fund a New Year's party. The masseurs claimed each zone only forked out 5,000 baht each, and when they refused to pay more, they were arrested for violating city regulations.
